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Beneath The Massacre

Review @ Fabien

After Mechanics of Dysfunction disarming by his technique, but too synthetic in parallel, Beneath the Massacre comes back in the month of October 2008 with his formidable successor Dystopia, benefiting of an explosive trio for the recording, mixing and mastering, signed respectively by Yannick St Amand, Jason Suecof & Alan Douches. Without any change of line up, the Canadian band led by Bradley brothers is dedicated at 100% to his new job, determined to confirm his place among the new locomotives of the current brutal death scene.

First, Condemned & Reign of Terror devastate everything in their path, juxtaposing lecherously palm muting riffs (guitar lines played with the palm of the hand), jerky rhythms and technical flights that Necrophagist would not have disowned on his monumental Epitaph, thus making a phenomenal dynamic, reinforced by the brutal growls of Elliot Desgagnes. Playing with the stereo, Chris Bradley impresses, superimposing his guitars plans with dexterity and speed disconcerting, on the snoring bass of his brother, this providing a multitude of readings to compositions.

But, to want too much, Beneath the Massacre sometimes loses the listener in his architectural plans, releasing in parallel some too compact titles, which hardly break away from each other. With the exception of track Wasteland or the inevitable No Future, all also lacking of soli, which would have help to direct the listener, swayed by this avalanche of notes and the ubiquitous polyrhythmics. However, the balance of the redoubtable final piece Procreating the Infection shows the ability of Beneath the Massacre to channel his incredible potential, with this power and control that can make them reach the top of the current brutal death music at any second.

Nightmare for guitarists, like the latest missiles of Origin, Brain Drill, Arsis and Necrophagist, Dystopia scares by its technique, his innovative side and the excellence of its performers, but is also more fluid to listen than his predecessor, boasting in parallel a rounder production, even if it remains a little too smooth, removing partly the mechanical feeling of his compositions. However, despite a gain in personality, an unwavering instrumental mastery and an evident brutality, Beneath the Massacre is still lacking of the necessary zest which would give the required essence for his pieces, in order to reach a more organic and living sound, like the last album of Hate Eternal, and to finally and definitively hoisted alongside the elite of the brutal death ... But what a potential !

Fabien - 13 December 2008: This review seems written in an English quite correct, Matt & Sijj having already made several significant changes. In contrast, the reviews of Carnophage, Lecherous Nocturne, Criminal Element and Deeds of Flesh, to my knowledge, have not benefited from reading by outsiders. Notice to volunteers !